YorkieTalk.com Forums - Yorkshire Terrier Community - View Single Post

FirstYorkie · 01-24-2006, 05:42 AM

As a result of posting videos of Joey, my 7 month old Yorkie, several people PM'ed me to find out more about clicker training. I was thrilled!!! I think clicker training is absolutely wonderful and I'm happy to share what I know. If you missed it, here's a link to the short videos (you'll have to excuse my poor photography:
http://www.dropshots.com/day.php?use...cdate=20060121

PassionFruition has posted some incredible videos of Sully. Although she doesn't actually use a clicker, she uses similiar - always positive - methods.

What is Clicker Trainiing?
The main principle in clicker training is using a sound to mark the exact moment that the dog is doing what you want. The sound is then followed by a treat to reward that behavior. Why not skip the sound and just give the dog a treat? Because it's a slower response and the dog has more trouble figuring out what he did that earned the treat. Once you're "loaded the clicker" (below), the dog knows that click means "What I'm doing now - this very instant - is right!" and a treat will follow.

That's it in a nutshell!

You'll find that clicker trainers do NOT start off giving a command for a behavior. Instead, they reward that behavior - when it occurs - over and over again until the dog is freely offering it. Only then, do that start saying the cue word while the dog is performing the behavior. After many repetitions, you can then safely say the cue and expect the dog to know what it means.

You'll also find that clickertrainers don't punish incorrect responses. They usually ignore them or they might use a nonreinforcing marker like "oops" or "sorry". Mostly you just stay silent while the dog figures out what to do for those treats!

Why a clicker? The clicker has a distinctive sound and is shaped to fit easily in your hand. They are cheap and you can get them from any pet store. Many have the ability to make the sound louder or quieter depending on your preference. Some sophisticated ones even have different sounding clicks so that you can use a different sound for different dogs (like in a multiple dog household).

Can I use something else? You don't have to use a clicker. You can use any sound you choose. You can click a ballpoint pen. Or, if you're fast, you can use a distinctive word or sound. Try to choose one that the dog doesn't hear everyday. "Z" or "zoop" or other nonsense words are examples. "Good" or "yes" are confusing because the dog hears them at other times.

What to use as a treat? Very tiny bits of dog treats or people food are best especially in the beginning. Joey is usually perfectly happy to work for bits of his kibble unless he's somewhere with alot of distractions - then I use tiny bits of cheese or leftover meat. Some people use cheerios. Whatever you use, you'll want to deduct that amount from the amount you feed the dog later. We don't want clicker trained porkies!!! Later, if you choose, you can use nonfood rewards. You can use anything the dog finds rewarding - a game of tug or fetch, for example. In dog parks, Joey's not usually interested in food. But he will work for a chance to "go sniff".

Will you always have to click and treat (CT) learned behaviors? No, definitely not! The clicker is only used for teaching new behaviors. Once the dog is doing the behavior reliably on cue, there's no need to click. If you're smart, though, you will continue to treat occasionally.

I'll write a post later on how to introduce the clicker.

Anybody have any questions?

Other clickertrainers PLEASE fill free to jump in here with advice/tips! This doesn't have to be my thread.

01-24-2006, 05:42 AM	#1
FirstYorkie YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: American in London Posts: 1,739	Clicker Training Basics As a result of posting videos of Joey, my 7 month old Yorkie, several people PM'ed me to find out more about clicker training. I was thrilled!!! I think clicker training is absolutely wonderful and I'm happy to share what I know. If you missed it, here's a link to the short videos (you'll have to excuse my poor photography: http://www.dropshots.com/day.php?use...cdate=20060121 PassionFruition has posted some incredible videos of Sully. Although she doesn't actually use a clicker, she uses similiar - always positive - methods. What is Clicker Trainiing? The main principle in clicker training is using a sound to mark the exact moment that the dog is doing what you want. The sound is then followed by a treat to reward that behavior. Why not skip the sound and just give the dog a treat? Because it's a slower response and the dog has more trouble figuring out what he did that earned the treat. Once you're "loaded the clicker" (below), the dog knows that click means "What I'm doing now - this very instant - is right!" and a treat will follow. That's it in a nutshell! You'll find that clicker trainers do NOT start off giving a command for a behavior. Instead, they reward that behavior - when it occurs - over and over again until the dog is freely offering it. Only then, do that start saying the cue word while the dog is performing the behavior. After many repetitions, you can then safely say the cue and expect the dog to know what it means. You'll also find that clickertrainers don't punish incorrect responses. They usually ignore them or they might use a nonreinforcing marker like "oops" or "sorry". Mostly you just stay silent while the dog figures out what to do for those treats! Why a clicker? The clicker has a distinctive sound and is shaped to fit easily in your hand. They are cheap and you can get them from any pet store. Many have the ability to make the sound louder or quieter depending on your preference. Some sophisticated ones even have different sounding clicks so that you can use a different sound for different dogs (like in a multiple dog household). Can I use something else? You don't have to use a clicker. You can use any sound you choose. You can click a ballpoint pen. Or, if you're fast, you can use a distinctive word or sound. Try to choose one that the dog doesn't hear everyday. "Z" or "zoop" or other nonsense words are examples. "Good" or "yes" are confusing because the dog hears them at other times. What to use as a treat? Very tiny bits of dog treats or people food are best especially in the beginning. Joey is usually perfectly happy to work for bits of his kibble unless he's somewhere with alot of distractions - then I use tiny bits of cheese or leftover meat. Some people use cheerios. Whatever you use, you'll want to deduct that amount from the amount you feed the dog later. We don't want clicker trained porkies!!! Later, if you choose, you can use nonfood rewards. You can use anything the dog finds rewarding - a game of tug or fetch, for example. In dog parks, Joey's not usually interested in food. But he will work for a chance to "go sniff". Will you always have to click and treat (CT) learned behaviors? No, definitely not! The clicker is only used for teaching new behaviors. Once the dog is doing the behavior reliably on cue, there's no need to click. If you're smart, though, you will continue to treat occasionally. I'll write a post later on how to introduce the clicker. Anybody have any questions? Other clickertrainers PLEASE fill free to jump in here with advice/tips! This doesn't have to be my thread. __________________ FirstYorkie We Love Clicker-Training!